Catholic vs. Protestant Doctrine Quiz

Answer: The wine and bread of the Eucharist become the body and blood of Christ

Many Protestants regard the Eucharist (or communion) as a mere symbol. Others, such as Lutherans, maintain that the bread and wine remain fully bread and wine even while the body and blood of Christ are present "in, with, and under" the forms. Some Anglicans speak of the "objective presence" of Christ in the Eucharist while others maintain a doctrine closer to consubstantiation, or "pneumatic presence." But few Protestants share entirely the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, which maintains that the wine and bread become the body and blood of Christ.

Answer: Salvation can be achieved and later lost

Many Protestants maintain that a person can be assured of his or her salvation and that once a person is saved, his or her salvation can never be lost. This is casually referred to in some circles as "once saved, always saved." For Catholics, however, salvation depends on the state of a person's soul at death.

Some Protestants agree with Catholics that it is possible to lose one's salvation. For such Protestants, that loss typically comes through a subsequent loss of faith and a rejection of Christ. Thus, this doctrine is a subject of debate among Protestants.

Answer: Only adults should be baptized

Catholics believe in and practice infant baptism. Many Protestants, including Lutherans and Anglicans, also practice infant baptism. However, there are a number of Protestants, including Baptists, who believe that only adults should be baptized. The reason for adult-only baptism, sometimes called "believer's baptism," is that such Protestants believe the baptismal candidate should be old enough to choose and acknowledge Jesus on his or her own. Such Protestants also argue that there are no explicit examples of infant baptism in the Bible. Catholics counter with the argument that when the Scripture speaks of "entire households" being baptized, that includes children.

Answer: Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone

This doctrine, referred to as "sola fide" (only faith), is held by most (though not all) Protestant denominations, and it is one of the major doctrines that distinguishes Protestants from Roman Catholics. The doctrine maintains that works have nothing whatsoever to do with salvation.

Answer: There are seven sacraments

Catholics acknowledge seven sacraments. A sacrament is a means of imparting grace. Protestants vary in their view of sacraments. Some, such as Baptists, do not acknowledge any sacraments. Other Protestant denominations may acknowledge two: baptism and communion (Eucharist).

Answer: False

Protestants do believe in confession, though the majority believe in confessing directly to God rather than to a priest. Some also practice corporate confession as part of a liturgy. Confession to a priest is an important part of the sacrament of penance in Catholicism.

Answer: The Book of Baruch

This book is part of what Protestants call "the apocrypha," a series of books in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Old Testament that were not in the Hebrew Bible. The Catholics refer to these as "deuterocanonical" (second canon) books.

Some Anglicans consider the apocrypha to be canonical, but the majority of Protestants do not. The original Kings James translation of the Bible included the apocrypha as an appendix. It was removed from later editions. Baruch is names after Jeremiah's scribe, and it is grouped in the Old Testament with the prophetic books.

Answer: Sola Scriptura

While Catholics believe Scripture is indeed authoritative, they do not accept the doctrine that it is the only authority (sola scriptura). They also believe in the authority of tradition. Many Protestants emphasize the doctrine of sola scriptura, though some also value tradition.

Answer: Purgatory

Purgatory is a state of purification and temporary punishment in preparation for heaven. Most Protestants reject the doctrine of purgatory and maintain that Christians will go straight to heaven because Christ has already entirely paid for their sins.

Some Protestants, such as Anglo-Catholics and some Anglicans, hold a belief similar to purgatory, but the majority of Protestants reject the idea. Catholics usually support the doctrine with reference to 1 Corinthians 3:13-15: "...their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.

It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames." Another basis for the doctrine is a verse from Maccabees, which is in the Catholic Bible but not in most Protestant Bibles: "2,000 pieces of silver were sent to Jerusalem for a sin-offering...Whereupon he made reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin" (Maccabees 12:43-45).

Answer: The Trinity

Anglo-Catholics believe in the assumption of Mary, but Anglicans hold it to be a pious opinion, and most Protestants reject the doctrine. Protestants also typically reject the notion, believed by Catholics, that the Pope is infallible when making pronouncements "ex cathedra" (from the papal chair).

The doctrine was officially defined in 1870, and ever since it has been very rare for the Pope to make such pronouncements. In 1950, Pope Pius XII spoke ex cathedra when he defined the Assumption of Mary as an article of faith for Catholics.